Olawunmi Bayode
A Nigerian man identified as Treasure Olawunmi Bayode, has taken to his Twitter page (@iread_bayode) and revealed that he is attempting to set a new Guinness world record for "The Longest Reading Marathon" (Read Aloud).
The young man who kicked-off his readung marathon at the You Read Library, Herbert Macaulay Way, Yaba in Lagos, said that he plans to read for 120 hours straight with only two hours break every 24 hours.
It was gathered that Bayode began reading at 1:30pm on Monday reading Carnivorous City by Toni Kan.
“I have always loved to read good materials right from when I was in secondary school.,” he wrote on Twitter.
“I am doing this for the culture! For the reading culture. I am doing this for the youths; to remind them that education is the bedrock of development.
“I am doing this for Nigeria – for the world know we’re a great nation – and yes, we do have libraries!”
According to TheCable, Bayode on Wednesday, have already read for 48 hours.
“48 HOURS and counting!!! I started from Monday (13:30 GMT + 1), now we’re here! I am still on course to make history. Everything I have done and who I have become prior to this day has uniquely prepared me for this,” he tweeted.
Sponsors of the event include Guaranty Trust Bank, Tagheuer, Lagos state government amongst others.
At present, the longest marathon reading aloud record is 113 hours 15 minutes achieved by Deepak Sharma Bajagain (Nepal) at the Tudikhel Ground, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Bajagain’s book reading began on September 19 and ended on September 24, 2008.